A Muslim woman of high rank or the wife of a ruler, especially in South Asian cultures.
From Urdu and Persian 'begum', likely derived from Turkish 'beğ' (chieftain) with the Persian feminine suffix '-um'. The word entered English during British colonial rule in India.
The Begums of Bhopal were legendary rulers who ran their own principality for over a century, yet many English histories barely mention them—showing how colonial power structures literally erased women from historical records. The word itself is a rare example of English taking a title of female authority from another language.
Begum (Urdu/Persian origin) denotes a woman of high rank, but in colonial and post-colonial English usage, it sometimes carried exoticizing or patronizing overtones when applied to South Asian women, unlike male equivalents.
Use as a respectful title when referencing South Asian women of status. Avoid in contexts that exoticize or diminish agency.
Begums held significant political and cultural power; recognize historical female leaders like Begum Hazrat Mahal as political actors, not ornamental figures.
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